Cuba

Fishing in the Saltwater Lagoons

Las Salinas is a unique national park which has been recently opened up as a fly fishing only venue. It is a saltwater eco-system of many lagoons connected by small channels. You don’t see many differences between high, low and rising tide during the daytime, it is a perfect spot to fly fish all day.

All the lagoons have an average of one foot depth. Las Salinas is protected area and because of this it allows no more than 6 FLY fishermen per week. In these clear blue waters you can target BIG Bonefish, BIG Permit, Barracuda and Jack Crevalle on the fly.

ABOUT

Las Salinas, located in the Zapata National park, has been closed for decades as a government military protected area. The area has just been opened, and Tropical Fly Fishing has been lucky to have now reliable contacts to book fishermen to this new Bonefish paradise. Las Salinas is a beautiful totally unspoilt and unfished area. The rule at Las Salinas is fly fishing only ! The boats are flat-bottomed non â€“ motorized with a maximum capacity of 1 guide and 1 fisherman. Your guide start to pole when you step inside.Accommodation is at Hotel Don Pedro. Don Pedro is located about 75 minutes from the site of Las Salinas and 45 minutes from Rio Hatiguanico. Rancho Don Pedro is built in a rustic style with individual wooden cabins including a terrace, bathroom h/c water, twin beds and it has a good Cuban restaurant.

Accommodation

Hotel Playa Larga

This hotel is located at a natural setting of the Bay of Pigs, near to very important bird-watching paths. Ideal for families with children.

Visitors can take a swim in Playa Larga with excellent sands and warm and safe waters at the end of the Bay of Pigs. In addition, tourists can be in close contact with nature in the Gran Parque Natural Montemar. The Bird Watching International Center at Playa Larga is a starting point for vacationers to watch birds during the day or night in the Montemar most secluded areas.

As at Playa Giron, diving is practiced in Playa Larga’s underwater walls. Its abrupt ocean wall, located very close to the coast, is impressive and covered with beautiful corals including colonies of black corals, gorgonias and sponges. Visitors also have the opportunity to dive in the underwater caves belonging to Montemar’s Cave system, some of which can be 70 meters deep. A strange, blind ship can be observed in the caves.

68 rooms-8 triples and 60 huts. Air-conditioned Rooms with private or shared bathrooms. one story cottages with TV. 3 Restaurants, grill, 3 bars, shops, safe deposit box, Money Exchange, tourist bureau, motorcycle rental, tennis court, parking area, bird watching and nautical sports.

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Season

All year but the lodge is closed in October. The winter months and April/May are superb but heavily booked in advance. Species: bonefish, tarpon, permit, jacks, snapper (cubera and mutton), sharks, barracuda, grouper, skipjack, king mackerel.

Species

Bonefish, tarpon, permit, mutton snapper, king mackerel, grouper, cubera, barracuda, sharks, jack crevalle.

Bonefish

Bonefish are the most popular and numerous character in the lineup of flats species. It’s attributes include a great eagerness to take both flies and lures, but they are best known for their astonishing and reel-stressing runs. The fly fishermen has an advantage over the spin fisherman due to the delicacy of the fly presentation and more diverse selection of patterns.

Fly Selection: It is important to match the fly’s overall color with that the bottom. The food items that the bone prefer are also expert in camouflage and will match to their surrounding perfecty. Then again, there are days when the light colors are the only colors that will work. When in doubt ask to your guide for recommendation.

Permit

For the fly fishing angler, the permit is considered the ultimate flats species. The bottom line is, unlike the bonefish (which has an empty stomach for a brain), permit always seem to be immediately suspicious about that little ball of hair and epoxy you’re trying to make look like a crab.

Snook

Into the mangrovian system you’ll can find the fish to make up the Super Grand Slam, the guides drive you to find Snook. In Cayo Largo the Snook don’t abound, but there’s a presence. In March of 2000 an italian customer did the Super Gran Slam. Due to the size of the Snook you’ll meet, it’s good a rod 9 or 10. You can use Streamer or Popper to catch them

Jack Crevalle

Jack Crevalle are found from March to August in a good quantity. In those months they can be considered a primary target. Shallow water in a sandy footing is the house of this great fish. It attacks the popper or the fly with an extraordinary aggressivity giving to the fisherman a sense of fighting without comparison. Presentation: Jack are found in the white flat around Cayo Largo, on fly the fisherman have to cast head of the jack and try to cruise its way . With the popper remember to make more noise that you can. Leader/Tippets: Use the same lider of the tarpon, just lessen schock leader to 50 lbs. Flies: Very good is Clouser Deep Minnow (Chartreuse), but better when the school are around is the Popper (Yellow, Green, Red), the most exiting fishing in Casa Batida. Fly Lines: Floating lines are generally all that are needed. Rod/Reel: A 10 weight rod of the same type discussed in the tarpon section.

Barracuda, Snapper, Shark

Lurking at the top of the food chain, these tough flats predator offer some outstanding action on a fly or lure. They will strike anything that darts away from them in an injured manner. When, hooked, they are some of the fastest and most powerful fis to be taken on light-tackle. Flies: Barracuda, Needlefish patterns (green/white, chartreuse, blue, white), Braided Barracuda Fly (chartreuse), Saltwater popper (2/0-3/0) Note: For barracuda, an extra-fast retrieve will usually provoke more strike than a slow retrieve. Shark, Snapper, Lefty’s Deciver ( red/white, blue/white), Streaker, Shark Fly (2/0- 3/0).

Tarpon

Tarpon are the largest, strongest and more acrobatic of the Casa Batida’s fish. Even juvenile fish will put your angling skills to the test. The tarpon size in Casa Batida going from 15 to 120 lbs. A large number of these fish, especially the mid size, remain in the area through the year. Migratory fish begin to show up in the beginning of April and, the number increase significantly from April to August. Fishing Condition: Most tarpon will be encountered in the tidal channels connecting the flats , in most circumstances, fish are see rolling and the angler will try to approach within casting distance. In the south of the “cayos” in 4-5 feet of water, tarpon can be found cruising along the shore. Correct hook setting will also help put the odds in your favour. Point the rod tip at the fish and firmly set the hook with your stripping hand only.

Then keep your rod tip close to the water (to eliminate the slack) and pump the rod sideways with short sharp tugs as you pull on the line and the rod simultaneously. This sound very nice on paper, but if you haven’t caught one of this giant primordial beats before, the sight of one inhaling your puny fly will turn you into a bumbling ball of never. The rod: The flies you’ll use are not than big, not are they heavy, so you won’t need a big rod for the fly, it’s for the fish. The ideal rod for Casa Batida is 10wt. From April to Agoust the 12 wt it will be better. Reel: Tough, no-nonsense reel are a must when you are playing tarpon. Anti-reverse, with a strong, reliable drag is a vital. Tarpon reels should hold your line plus at list 200 yards of 30-lb backing. Lines: Floating lines are generally all that are needed.

Leaders and Tippets

Very simple leader, start on perfection loop, then 7 feet of 50 lbs. line, finish with other perfection loop. Attach 24 lb. class tippet with a perfection loop or bimini twist with a loop to loop. Now is the time to the shock leader, it can be connect with a bright knot or a very simple surgeons loop. At last attach the fly with a perfection loop or Rapala knot. Flies: A selection of the following should cover you in all condition ( tied in sizes 2/0- 3/0- 4/0), Cockroach, Chico’s Shallow Water Tarpon (burnt orange/grizzly, yellow/grizzly), Stu Apte (Aple Tarpon), Lefty’s Deciver (various colour), Deceiver (red/yellow, chartreuse/white), Clouser Minnow (various colour). Popping bugs are very effective all year around. A note on lost fish: The average fly fisherman only lands about 30 percent of jumped fish. The most common causes related to fish loss are dull hook, poorly tied knots and frayed tippet, super-sharp hooks and well-tied knots are of utmost importance! Carry a small hook file at the times. It’s important to know that in Casa Batida’s area you’ll have one day of Tarpon fishing in a week. Those who wish fishing more days the Tarpon will do it with a surcharge of 40 usd a day (for the greater costs of fuel) outside the Casa Batida’s area.

Prices start from £3900

Includes: 7 nights 6 fishing days of single Fly Fishing, International Flights, All Transfers, Boat, Guide, Fishing License, Meal and Accommodation, Double Occupancy

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